Aerosol dispensing containers generally comprise a pressurized canister within which is stored a product to be dispensed as an aerosol. The canister is pressurized, for example, by a propellant which is generally dissolved within the product. The product is released from the canister upon opening of for example a pressure actuated valve mechanism located in the top of the canister.
The valve mechanism generally comprises a valve stem defining a passage therethrough which communicates with the interior of the canister, and through which product may flow out of the canister when the valve is appropriately actuated. An orifice is often provided in the wall of the valve stem to provide access from the interior of the container to the passage. The valve stem is normally spring biased to a position in which the orifice is blocked or sealed so the product cannot enter the passage in the valve stem. A valve actuation assembly is generally mounted to the top of a canister to overly and engage with and actuate the valve stem. When the actuation assembly is appropriately triggered, the valve actuation assembly depresses, or tilts, the valve stem against the biasing force to unblock the orifice and allow the pressurized aerosol product within the canister to enter the passage in the valve stem.
Typically the actuator assembly includes a body or housing which is affixed to the top of the canister and an actuator plunger or button is fitted within the housing. The plunger or button generally fits over, or within the body in some manner, and connects with or at least indirectly engages or actuates the valve stem. A product passage is generally provided for guiding the released aerosol spray out of the spray can and through the valve actuation assembly to the environment. The product passage can be integral with either the body or the button, or even be a separate structure which communicates between the valve stem and a product dispensing orifice formed in the actuator.
When the button is depressed by a user, the valve stem is depressed or tilted and as the valve stem is depressed or tilted, the orifice within the valve stem is moved away from the seal, and the pressure within the dispensing canister pushes the aerosol product up through the orifice into the valve stem and hence into the passage and then into the product passage. Finally the product is dispensed via a nozzle out the dispensing orifice.
After dispensing the desired amount of product, the button is released. The spring bias within the valve mechanism provides the restoring or biasing force to return the valve stem to the closed position in which the orifice in the valve stem is sealed and aerosol product is no longer permitted to be dispensed. Currently known actuators of this type include many small parts which must be separately molded and then assembled. Obviously, the more parts which must be molded the more expensive the manufacture and assembly of such actuators becomes. Actuators are also known which attempt to reduce the number of separate parts which must be molded and assembled, however such actuators tend to be intricate, complicated moldings and are particularly difficult, and expensive to mold.